Method of and apparatus for the manufacture of rodlike articles



Sept. 12, 1944. H. A. PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BY HiramPer/cins ATTORNEY.

LIKE ARTICLES Sept. l2, 1944.

H. A. PERKINS METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFADTURE oF ROD- Filed Aug. 31, 1940 `16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Perkms Hiram A.

ATTORNEY.-

Sept. 12, 1944. H, A. PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD OE AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE'ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31, 1940l 1s sheets-sheet s 1N VENTOR.

{mal/(M1449 ATTORNEY.

Sept. l2., 1944- H. A. PERKINS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31, 1940 16 Shee'CS-Sheell 4 d ATTORNEY.

f Sept. 12, 1944. H A, PERKlNs 2,357,846

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31. 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Hirm Perkins l AT-roma.

Sept. 12, 1 944. v H, A PERKlNs 2,357,846

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS Fon THE MANUFACTURE QF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 uu fn f ,[1.

INV ENTOR.

' Hiram APer/c ins Sept. 12, 1944. HOA. PERKINS I 2,357,846

METHOD 0F yAND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31, 1940 16 Sheets-Shee'fl 7 Il @um INVENTOR. HiramPer/fjns p ATTORNEY.

Sept. 12', 1944. H, A. PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF RODLIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 51, 1940 16 sheets-sheet 8 1N VEN TOR.

BY HilwIz/lperkins ATTORNEY,

Sept. 12, 1944. H1 A PERKlNs 2,357,846

METHOD OF' AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug, 31, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 `INVENTOR.

Hiram pefkms www ATroRNEY.

Sept. l2, 1944. H, A. PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. s1, 1940 1e sheets-sheet 1o j ffy Y Fig /2 119 m4 H4 [Z0 J 1p .rm mr! .f2.3 725 WM f24 )Z2 f2 773 INVENTOR 734 Hiram Per/fins BY mmv-Al ATTORNEY.

Sept. 12, 1944. H. A. PERKINS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 5l, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 12, 1944. H, A PERKINS 2,357,846v

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 3l, 1940 16 Sheecs-Sheet 12 Vig/ 155 22 /1 o o 221 f) l 156` f El f/ O O a INVENTOR. Hi ram Per/fins ATTORNEY.

Sept. 12, 1944. H, A. PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS 4FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. s1, 1940 1s sheets-snee; 1s

A jig-5520 i I" El a INVENTOR Hiram A. Perkins ATTORNEY.

Sept. l2, 1944. f H, A, PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE oF Ron-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 31, 1940 16 sheets-sheet 14 Human l 'l fg m INVENTOR I ATTORNEY.

H. A. PERKINS Sept. 12, 1944. 2,357,846 METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE oF Ron-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 3l, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 www. bmw. m .Rw .mmm www YmQW Wim n P. A Rm m .m

Sept 12, 1944- H. A. PERKINS 2,357,846

METHOD OF AND`APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 51, 1940 1e sheets-sheet 1e INV ENT OR.

Hiram/1. Perkins E ATTORNEY.

ciidrstick than l/4' in diameter' I as 900 sticks per minute.

1 take place" upon .th

tive zonesl.

Patented Sept. 12, 1944 Y g L UNITED j STATE s PATENT l r fim'i'rnon ori-AND APPARATUS Fon v'rim Setter Bros.

tion o! New York Application August 31, 1

MANUFACTURE F RODLIK ARTICLES mail A. Perkins, Rochester, N, Y.',.ass1gncr to.

Inc., Cattaraugus, N. Y., a corpora.-

940, serial No# $54,945

ii-Claims. (ci. 93-3-1)` This invention "relates to the 4manufacture of candy sticks. It also-involves thel use of sheet materialstripswhich are convoluted and bonded into'compact rolls. forming rigidy rod-like members of small diameter.' f A The invention further includes within its purview improvements in confections of the stick supported type, and improvements in dowel-like members particularly adapted for such confections.

The invention is lalso related tothe invention of my co-pending application Serial No. 297,684 tiled on October- 3, 1939, now, Patent 2,308,537. 1719-43 and Reissue'vPatent 22,478, `5--10-44) and involves such improvementsover the apparatus shown in the cofpending applicationthat the `.illustrative candy sticks can-be effectively produced in much greaterA quantity pervunit of time, thus correspondinglyloweringthe cost of production.-` Other improvements ofathe present invention .materially reduce the time required to kplace a new supply rollin operative position `on-the machine and material of a. new roll.` l

Ito start the machine with the-sheet A stillA further improvement over the apparatus. disclosedin vmy prior oo -pending application involves high speed operation in .combination withthe straightening o f the'master sticks and sduaring them uptolthe sticlcutterat an exact -Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the illustrative machine.- i

Fig. 5 is a plan. s f Fig. 6 isa view showing the-.machine incombination rwith a. dryer to whichthesticks are deliveredrbythamachine.; i

MFig. '7 is a perspective view showing the presser plate structure disposediin itsy inoperative position soas to provide for inspection of the machine and cleaning of the presser plateor its associated components.

Fig. 8 is an venlarged planl of, the roll stand.

Fig., 9 is a vertical transverse section Von the line 9 9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a. partial perspective view showingin .more detail the structure of the presser .plate structure, the master stickcuttert and the `means for vstraighteningand aligning the kmaster rsticks. Fig. 11 is aperspective viewwtalgenrom 4the infeed end of the. machine and showingthe rela.- tionship of the supply roll, roll stand elements,

, the supply. roll brake, and the means which faciliangle of`90l degrees to thedirection 1of. travel'of the compactingibelt, or carrier. .1

In compliance` with thel Federal patentstatot the invention has reference l referred 'to' inthe description.

1.1.1. the .dra-wing themac'hine produczing-l sticks of less ata rate at least. :as .great Figa 2 and 2q are ,partial lbngfituinail vertical sections 'nd'cating the different ',actions .which' 'e riaperer'iblgr Sheebmaterial as itproceed through thesuccessive operay ying.; drawings in which therefer#V vence'cliaraxti;rs 'indicateparts whichare similarly stick cutter.

tate tloenzuroicer startingof the .machine after `the installation of anew supply lroll.

` machine through section line iZ- l 2 of Fig. ,14..

. Fig. 12 .,is. a, vertical transverse section of -the thestick cutter, taken on the Fig.. 13 is a bottom plan ofthe-cutter talien looking in thediretionof the arrows. Fig. 14 is a partial longitudinal verticalsection onthe 1ine.| ll- ,I4 of 12..

Fig. 15 is a detail view in the natureofavertical section taken transverselyof the machine and on a section line iti-1 5.

the, specic presser,

stand, showing on anenlargd scale the arrangement of th-'feleme'ntfs which -act upon the paper orotlier s heetmateri'al as itentersfvthemachine. Fig, uns@ @etait view illustrating the; manner in. which the. weighting rollers ,ofthetroll stand roll. l f

lFig 18. is a view showing parts ofathe operating meohanismlandcontrol mechanismrA 'vation' showing thee ,arrangement *of f f. Aa limit .switch operated,l loyl a centrifugal lgovernoriwhich stops A theJ operation4 of ;the .machine .in the event decreased.

[manine speedofthe main ben: isfnndesirapiy trating the automatic movement of some of the control parts as a result of a predetermined remay be precisely and correctly aligned with the roll stand mechanism, the convoluter, and the compacter.

Fig. 23 is an elevation of the mechanism shown l in Fig. 22, Fig. 23 being taken from the front end of the machine and showing a part of the paper supply roll.

Fig. 24 is a partial plan showing the arrangement of the parts of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 22 and 23.,

Fig. 25 is a diagrammatic view showing 'a layout of the electrical switches and other component parts of the control mechanism andl schematically illustrating their association with the operating parts of the machine.

Fig. 26 is a vertical section illustrating the action and the effect of the stick cutter knives in severing the master stick.

Fig. 27 is a vertical cross section illustrating the structure of the end of the master stick before it is acted upon by the knives of the strip cutter.

Fig. 28 is an end elevation of one of the illustrative candy sticks after it has been severed by the stick cutter from the master stick, this view illustrating the cementing, molding, or homogenizing enect of the stick cutting opera- Fig. 29 is a perspective view showingone of the illustrative candy sticks on a large scale.

Fig. 30 shows the manner in which the illus'- trative sticks break upon being subjected to such a sudden endwise impact as would be involved in the falling of a child with the illustrative stick supported confection-in its mouth.

Fig. 31 is a perspective view of the illustra tive confection, including the stick of this 4investion. .l

Fig. 32 is a detail view of a part of the control mechanism.

Figures 33 and 34 are detail views indicating the shim adjustment arrangement whereby the presser plate may be adjusted to manufacture convoluted rolls'of diii'erent diameters.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE l'ACTION O1" THE MACHINE In the operation of the illustrative machine supply rolls of a sized paper are employed. The

paper is preferably white and-itsproperties are such that it facilitates the bonding of the sticks at a rapid rate of production and promotes the manufacture of a superior product.

Also, when the sizing of the paper involves a high percentage of starch or some similar material the eect of the pressure and pressuredeveloped heat, in the operation of the machine.

serves tohave an "ironing" effect upon the siaing of the paper so as to not only give the illustrative stick a smooth and glossy appearance but also to enhance the stiffness or rigidity to the stick.

4jecting knives il and Il or Il and I1 in the roller I2 contact with the teeth of the A third advantage nowlng from the use of such sized paper resides inthe frangible char'- acteristics of theillustrativestick andthe 'manner inwhich it breaks when subjected to an 1acimpact .during Lnormal 1con' cidental endwise sumption of the is a part. Any acter results in 'al complete stick fracture with vthe having soft ends..

During theoperation or other sheet material confection product of which it il (Fig.v l) is lcontinuously unwound'from asupply roll` Il and pulled into the machine by the action of the lstrip cutter rolls l2 and Ilandvtheir associated rolls.

strip cutter roll il is -provided -at diametri-5 periphery with pro- 'I'he cally opposed positions on its saw teeth which cooperate with recesses to sever the paper into strips (see Fig. 16).

Each severedv strip Il passes downwardly from the strip cutter and is guided into contact with a iluted crimper roll Il land a rubber covered roll 2li with which the crimper roll may be said to be inter-geared. The rubber covered `roll 2l is preferably positively gearing with the crimper roll results from such a relative positioning of the crimper roll Il and ythe rubber covered rollll that the teeth 2| of the former depress the rubber covering of the roll 20 during theoperation of the machine.

Each paper strip il descending from the cutter roll is thus gripped between the crimper roll and the rubber covered roll and is crimped or creased by the sharp edges or lutes of the crimper roll as the strip advances. Y

The crimper roll Il is also provided along its length with a.v plurality of lcircumferential grooves. the base of each o f which is lower than the grooves-of the ilutes ofthe crimper roll.

ese grooves receive the lower -ends of correspondingly shaped teeth of a stripper plate 24 rigidly secured to a heavy convoluter plate 25 which determines the upper surface of a tapered passage in which the crimped strips are .initially convoluted.

The lower surface of the convoluting passageway 2l. particularly indicated in the upper part of Fig. 2 of the drawings, is determined by a fixed bedplate structure 21 over which is trained a main belt or carrier Il. rmally moving in the direction of the arrow!! of Fig. 2.

As the leading edge of a paper strip Il proceeds around the crimper stripper plate which .stripped part-of the sheet material forms a loop Il projecting sufflciently away from thel crimper roller to come into contact with the-continuously moving carrier 2l. Thereupon the remaining part of the crimped strip is separated from the crimper roller at an advanced position is then so increased in length and so moved away from the crimper roller that the conjoint effect of the crimping of the strip and the movement of the belt causes the strip to begin to convolute as indicated at Il in Fig. 2.

As the crimped and convoluted strip is moved along by the carrier the number of its convolutions increases, and the overall transverse dimension of the loosely convoluted roll decreases as indicated at 324| inc. (Fig. 2). The effect of this action, in combination with the taper of such sudden impact ofi-this chan` of the machine paper roll Il it comes in 'I the convoluting-passageway is such that the loosely convoluted roll assumes somewhat of an ovate shape as at 33.

illustrative apparatus would be much less eilicient, possibly to the extent of being economically inoperative if such action were allowed to continue. The effect of such action is counteracted 'Ihis is undesirable in the present product, and, the operation of the at the end of the convoluting passageway 25 by compacted rolls to assume an ovate shape as they reach the end of the z one C and, consequently, there is provided a second compacting zone D at the entry of which the compacted rolls are permitted to change from the ovate shape to a more nearly round shape. Otherwise the second compacting zone is similar to the first compacting zone but it has such charac-l teristics that the convoluted sticks are decreased in their outside diameter as compared to the sticks discharging from the first compacting zone.

A third compacting zone E bears the same relationship to the preceding compacting zone D as the latter does to the compacting zone C and beyond the zone E the compacted sticks pass through a longer zone F. In the latter the compacted sticks are subjected to pressure and a convoluting effect for such an increased lengthn of time that the sticks become permanently set. Also, this action takes place simultaneously with a bonding action which will receive subsequent reference.

Beyond the zone F the sticks pass through a zone G in which they are straightened and squared up with their longitudinal axes at substantially 90 degrees to the direction of travel of the main fbelt. This positioning of the sticks facilitates clean and sharp severing of the master sticks into candy sticks of the desired length in the stick cutting zone H, and promotes the advantageous finishing or burnishing of the ends of the severed sticks.

THE S'rRUo'ruRE The frame The frame of the machine for carrying out the illustrative manufacture consists of two heavy side castings 4l and 42 rigidly joined by a plurality of transverse members such as those indicated at 43 and 44, in Figs. 1 and 9 of the drawings. 'I'hese figures also illustrate the manner in which the side frame members are provided with a ribbed construction 45 so as to afford adequate strength without excessive weight.

On account of the high speed of operation of the machine necessary to effect such a high rate of production that the cost of manufacturing may be advantageously low it is essential that there be no appreciable vibration in the frame components. Furthermore on account of the high pressures exerted upon the compacting rolls as they pass through the machine the frame must be of considerable strength. A third reason for a strong and rigid frame is that the surfaces which determine the ultimate contour or shape of the product must .be held accurately within close limits. To accomplish the desired high rate of production there are first formed long master sticks which are subsequently severed into candy sticks of the desired length, and to maintain a uniform diameter of such master sticks throughout their long lengths there are rigid bedplate constructions vand presser plate constructions of high resistance to bending stresses between the side frames. The illustrative frame supports such structures and holds them continuously fixed in their desired relationships.

The side frame membersare formed with motor openings 46 and 41 and are provided with projections 49 and 50 at the infeed end of the machine so as to facilitate the removal of exhausted paper supply rolls and the installing of new rolls in a minimu-m period of timef Supported on top of the sidemembers 4| and 42 of the main frame is the bedplate construction over which the main belt slides, and inasmuch as the bedplate determines the lower surface of the compacting and setting passageway the bedplate must |be permanently and accurately set so as to give the correct vertical dimensions of the passageway within very close tolerances.

When the machine is set up side rails 5| and 52 are disposed along the top of each side member of the frame and below the bedplate. These rails may .be held in the rigid assembly with the bedplate and side frame members by cap screws or other fastening devices which are secured rigidly to the frame. Openings 55-58, Figs. 1 and '7 in the side frame members permit such attachment of the side rails and bedplate to the frame. This constructionfacilitates the removal l of the bedplate when the main belt is replaced. The side rails may be loosened and then turned so as to permit transverse supports to be inserted below the bedplate.

The bedplate construction The particular structure of the bedplate 21 is shown in Figs. 1 and 9 of the drawings. It preferably consists of a casting including downwardly extending ribs such as those shown at 59, and 6| which act as heat dissipating means as well as re-enforcing means.

Inasmuch as the main belt or carrier passes over and slides over the bedplate it is desirable that the friction be reduced, and for this purpose the top of the bedplate construction should be smooth. It may have a single superposed plate 62 (see Figs. 9, 12 and 14). The latter is preferably secured along its edges to the bedplate and along each longitudinal margin of the plate there are superposed metal strips 63-63 Above the bedplate is mounted the presser plate construction 61, extending from the fixed convoluter plate 25 to the discharge end of the main belt. The main part of this construction is preferably a casting having a friction facing 611 and provided with ribs 58 and 69 as particularly indicated in Figs. 1, 9 and 10 of the drawings. The width of this casting is about the same as the main belt, and the presser plate is pivotally mounted upon the bedplate construction in order that it may be readily swung upwardly to its inoperative position to permit inspection of rods 911, 981 and 991 which are xed to the edge f of the presser plate opposite the cam locks. To prevent breakage, or bending of the counterweight rods when the presser plate is 4moved toV its open position, a fender or bumper including a coil spring may be secured to the plate IM (Figs. 5 and 10) which projects from the presser plate as indicated in Fig. 10. The coilv spring extends downwardly and is held in its operative position by an enclosed rod as indicated in my co-pending application. v

have U shaped members --19 at their lower ends, and the latter are formed with cam surfaces engaging the upper surfaces of U shaped lateral projections 80-84 unitary with or fixed to the presser plate as particularly indicated in Fig. 7. `Each U shaped member of a cam lock has pivoted thereto the upper end of one of a series of links 85-89 the lower end of which is similarly -pivoted to one of the base structures "-94 fixed to the bedplate.

The cam surfaces of the presser plate locks are so associated with the upper surfaces of rthe lateral projections 80-84 from the bedplate that as the upwardly extending lock handles are pressed Ltoward the presser plate they press the latter tightly against stops constituting parts of the structures which are rigid with the bedplate.

An advantage of the particular type of cam' lock construction here described is that,.when it is desired to manufacture candy/sticks` of al diameter slightlygreater or less than those which have just been manUIactured-thismay be done by loosening the lock base structures 90-34 fixed to the4 bedplate, and inserting or removing shimsv between them and the bedplate.`

The shims are preferably constructed as indicated at 606 and 608 in Fig. 33. They are formed withv slots 6H! and SI2 to straddle such cap screws'as those indicated at Bil and lli in Fig. 34. This gure shows an arrangement of elements which is applied to the lock base structures 90-94 as well as the hinge base elements 60G-6M inclusive.

The cap screws 6H and Gil pass through clear holes in the elements 600 and 620 and are screw threaded into the element 52 as shown. As thev cap screws are loosened the coil spring B22 forces the element 600 upwardly by reason of the fact that the former was under compression when the parts were originally assembled. The spring is disposed within a hole drilled in the element 62h and its lower end abuts against the top of 552. Thus, the adjustment of the presser plate structure is facilitated and the time required to insert additional shims or remove some of the shims is minimized.

'I'he shimmed device above described is not specically claimed in this application but is claimed in the co-pending divisional application 534,788 flied on May 9, 1944.

The operator may quickly unlock the bedplate by flicking the cam levers away from the presser plate, grasping the xed handles 95 and 98 rigid with the presser plate and then lifting the lat` ter tothe position in which it is shown in Fig. '1. Thereupon, the machine components may be readily inspected and the presser plate thereafter returned to-'its operative position and locked therein ina minimum amount of time.

To facilitate the moving of the presser plate to its inoperative position it is counter-weighted as particularly indicated in Figs. 9 and l0 oi' the drawings. The counter-weights 91, I8 and 99 shown are adjustably and slidably secured upon The master stick cutter throughthe convolutions of theconvoluted sticks as the latter are rolled along by the movement of the belt,` the rear ends oi the cutting edges ot the blades being positioned at a level spaced above the upper surface -of the belt a distance equal to approximately onefhalf of the diameter of the master sticks. v Thus the latter may be said to be given a rolling cut, effective upon the master sticks to produce a result indicated 'by the comparison of Figs. 27 and 28 of the drawings.

. The blades of the stick cutter must have difierent spacings for candy sticks of different lengths. Sometimes candy sticks 31/2 inches long are made and at other times sticks 5 inches long may be made, and the illustrative machine is adaptedto produce sticks of `such different lengths. To this end the cutter blades are frictionally gripped by the main filler blocks lill- |09 which correspond in width to the -desired length of candy stick. Such filler blocks are clearly indicated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 of the drawings.

The cutter assembly includes yend filler blocks lill and Hi preferably ofthe same length as 'the main illler blocks and all of these blocks are drilled to4 provide aligning bores whichreceive the tie rods or through-bolts Il! and III. y This filler block and rod assembly is set up in a jig upon the cutter basey H4 with the transverse aligning projections H5 of the illler blocks lltting into a correspondingly shaped -recess inthe lower face of the base (see Fig. 14). Then the transverse filler block H6 is secured to the base and the cutter blades are adjusted to their correct projection beyond the operative face of the blocks by adjusting rods II1 and H8 which are y freely received by openings in the cutter base and through notches in the edges of the filler blocks. This assembly preferably takes place while the entire cutter organization is inverted, and after the blades are accurately set, vthe ller blocks are tightened against the blades by through-bolts H2 and H3. Then the cap screws H9 passing through free holes in the cutter base HI are tightly screw.threaded into the 1111er blocks with their heads in engagement with the upper surface of the base so as to render the entire cutter head or cutter` assembly, a' rigid unit.

After the cutter assembly is thus completed it is placed in its operative position with reference to the presser plate and held therein by means of the contact of the projections |20 and l2l at the end of the cutter base with ledges or shoul- 

